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Form auxiliary verb + subject If the auxiliary verb in the sentence is positive, the tag is negative You are tired, aren't you? If the auxiliary verb in the sentence is negative, the tag is positive You aren´t a doctor , are you? If there is no auxiliary verb in the sentence, we use do in the appropriate tense You play tennis well, don't you? He drank all the milk, didn´t he?

Functions & examples We use tag questions: 1. To confirm information. We are already sure of the answer, we just want confirmation, and we use a falling intonation with the tag question.

This yoghourt is sour, isn't it That lecture was boring , wasn't it

2. To check information: We do not know the answer, these are real questions, and we use a rising intonation with the tag question.

You haven't seen Peter lately, have you? You don't know where my glasses are, do you? The wedding is on Sunday at 5 p.m. , isn't it?

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Some points that need to be taken into account 1. In the present tense, if the subject is "I", the auxiliary changes to are or aren't. I'm going with you , aren't I? 2. With let's, the tag question is shall we. Let's have dinner out, shall we? 3. With an imperative, the tag question is will you. Clean your bedroom, will you? 4. We use a positive tag question after a sentence containing a negative word such as nobody, hardly, never. Nobody drives this old car, do they? You've never seen a ghost, have you? 5. When the subject is nothing, we use it in the tag question Nothing strange happened at the party, did it? 6. When the subject is nobody, somebody, everybody, no one, someone, or everyone, we use they in the tag question Nobody called me , did they? 7. If the main verb in the sentence is have (not an auxiliary verb), it is more common to use do in the question tag than have You have a twin brother, don't you? 8. With used to, we use didn't in the tag question You used to live here , didn't you? 9. We can use positive question tags after positive sentences to express a reaction such as surprise or interest You're marrying a millionaire, are you?

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EXERCISE TO PRACTISE 1.

You're coming to Italy with us, ________? a. aren't you b. isn't you c. shouldn't you 2. It wasn't very late, _______________? a. wasn't it b. isn't it c. was it 3. Mark’s buying something for Sandra, ______________________? a. wasn't he b. isn't he c. was he 4. It won't be anything cheap, _____________? a. won't it b. isn't it c. will it 5. There's some cheese in the fridge, _____________? a. isn't there b. isn't it c. wasn't it 6. We don't need to go buy any bread today, _____________? a. don't we b. do I c. do we 7. Sally can bring some chocolate, _____________? a. won't she b. will she c. can't she 8. The concert starts at ten o'clock, _____________? a. isn't it b. doesn't it

11. There's a lot of noise in the street, ________? a. aren't there b. isn't there c. is there 12. Mrs. Shenny is sick, _____________? a. isn't she b. is she c. wasn't she 13. The glasses are dirty, _____________? a. weren't they b. isn't they c. aren't they 14. Tom won't be at the meeting, ___________? a. won't he b. isn't he c. will he 15. The French exam was very easy , ___________? a. wasn't it b. isn't it c. weren't they 16. We can go on Friday , _____________? a. won't we b. can we c. can't we 17. I'm late, _____________? a. isn't I b. aren't I c. are I 18. This jacket is too big for me, __________? a. isn't it b. doesn't it c. does it 19. Eliza plays the piano well, __________? a. isn't it b. does she c. doesn't she

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c. does it The movie was very boring, __________ ? a. isn't it b. wasn't it c. was it 10. There's a red book on the shelf, ______ ? a. isn't it b. isn't there c. aren't there 9.

20. Your cousins went on holidays, _______? a. isn't they b. didn't they c. aren't they

KEY 1a 2c 3b 4c 5a 6c 7c 8b 9b 10b 11b 12a 13c 14c 15a 16c 17b 18a 19c 20b

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